Quad bonding updates!

The two pairs went into the shed yesterday and so far I have witnessed Heidi being the main bully. She is very alert to when one of the others moves and seeks them out to chase them away, except for Dash, her original partner. I've just given them breakfast, scattered around, and thankfully all of them came out to eat, they've also all had a nibble on the fresh hay I put in. But Heidi and Dash definitely got the main portion of food! Summer and Skye seem to have improved since last night when they were hiding quietly in a corner (seperately ) most of the time. This morning they have been coming out more and exploring and not automatically running straight into a hidey hole when Heidi chases them, but just running to a different area. Dash is really laid back bless him and has been the adventurer, as far as I know, he's the only one who's been going on the upper level. I think I'll put another litter tray up there so it's another place to get away. I'm just bothered about when (and if!) Heidi is going to stop this?! There's no aggression it's just chasing, I suppose she's trying to tell them she's in charge, but she can't keep on like that, it's not fair on Summer and Skye. Does anyone have any experience with this and can give me any advice? Thanks

no advice from me - i can't leave the living room to get the water bottles in case matthew and charlie kill each other. and i want to get dressed and go to asda.

It'svery early days. I think you are lucky not to have fur everywhere. There has to be a hierarchy so maybe Heidi is demonstrating the fact that she is head girl. This would make sense as she is paired off with the male so in the wild she would be the one to have the babies etc. Sending bonding vibes!

happybun said:

no advice from me - i can't leave the living room to get the water bottles in case matthew and charlie kill each other. and i want to get dressed and go to asda.

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I know its hard isn't it u don't want to do anything or go anywhere!! I'm confident enough that they're not going to hurt each other now, I know it can all change at any time, but the shed layout has proved to be really good for allowing escape and nothing has escalated from chasing and fur pulling because of this I think. But I don't want Summer and Skye to be living in fear! I'm so glad they ate this morning I was really worrying that they wouldn't eat or drink. I had to take a bottle to Summer to get her to drink and I tried with Skye but she just pushed me say :lol: She's had some greens though so at least that's some moisture!

tonibun said:

It'svery early days. I think you are lucky not to have fur everywhere. There has to be a hierarchy so maybe Heidi is demonstrating the fact that she is head girl. This would make sense as she is paired off with the male so in the wild she would be the one to have the babies etc. Sending bonding vibes!

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Thanks for that, there has been some fur pulling but nothing major. My main worry at the moment is that Summer and Skye won't get enough to drink Heidi and Dash have both found the bowls now and I've seen them having big drinks. Heidi even had a drink from the bottle yerterday before she found the bowl! But I'm bothered that if Summer and Skye try to get a drink Heidi will chase them away.

Can you give them some veg so at least they will have some moisture going in? Sometimes when bonding the male won't allow the female to come out to eat or drink for a couple of days, so I put some veg close to where she is. It's all fine in the end.

tonibun said:

Can you give them some veg so at least they will have some moisture going in? Sometimes when bonding the male won't allow the female to come out to eat or drink for a couple of days, so I put some veg close to where she is. It's all fine in the end.

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Yeah, you'll know now I've already done that :lol: That's what I thought, I put some bits of greens where they were hiding and they've all eaten some so at least that's some moisture going in. I was so relieved that they all came to eat! I fed them their pellets before I put them in the shed yesterday as I didn't want them to not eat.

I'm hoping they'll all be ready for a rest soon and that might calm things down. Dash has just been snoozing on the floor, he's so good he doesn't really bother about anything! Hopefully Heidi will tire herself out soon and let the others relax a bit!

Heidi just went over to the litter tray where Summer is sat, stared at her for a few seconds then hopped away :thumb:

Pic from the bunny monitor!



Phew, finally Heidi is chilling out a bit! She's been snoozing and washing. Summer is sat in a litter tray, chilling and munching and Skye hasn't been out of the trofast hidey for ages Will be interesting to see if S&S start to have a wander if Heidi will let them!

Things are definitely calmer, but I suppose that's natural for the time of day. Summer and Skye have been wandering a bit and are actually sat together now which I'm pleased about, I don't want them to lose their bond. Heidi has allowed a bit more activity but has still done a bit of chasing, seems she just can't resist!! Even Dash at one point was watching Heidi because Summer and Skye were wandering about I think he was thinking is she gonna go?! :lol:

Wow Skye just came out of her hiding place, went over to where Dash was sitting, she clocked Heidi in another hidey hole but just sat between them!! I think she was trying to get a drink as there's a bottle there but I think she was trying to work out if she was going to get chased off first! She sat there a good few mins - Dash never batted an eyelid :lol: Unfortunately Heidi did come out and chase her off without her getting a drink Might have to move the other bottles to the lower level for now, and put them in diff areas, I don't want them to be scared to get a drink!

i'm reading with interest...:wave::wave:

No fighting still so if it carries on this way all should be well. It will be so lovely for them to have the shed

happybun said:

i'm reading with interest...:wave::wave:

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Thanks, I was starting to feel like I was wittering on to myself :lol:

tonibun said:

No fighting still so if it carries on this way all should be well. It will be so lovely for them to have the shed

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Ooh thanks for that, I value your opinion :thumb: There's no fighting at all, no aggression or ears back or anything, just chasing and stomping! But Heidi definitely seems to be allowing them a bit more freedom before the chase! Hopefully she'll get bored of it soon!

Another pic off the monitor so not the greatest but shows where Skye bravely went and positioned herself



You can just make out Heidi's face in the hole on the left, then Skye in the middle and Dash on the right

I've added some pics from yesterday in stories and photos section :wave:

The same happened with my quad, I have many posts on here. I bonded a pair and 2 singles and sooty was the bully even though Oreo was the dominant one (the original pair) Mittens was the one getting bullied and she did go into stasis the first time we bonded so I separated back into 2 pairs (they went fine!). I then had to move so tried the quad again. It worked this time and they have been together 3 years now. Sooty still chases mittens but it doesn't bother her she just goes somewhere else. I was worried about mittens again as Charlie sadly died and he was the one that kept the peace and snuggled mittens but the 3 have been fine. I even catch sooty and mittens snuggling sometimes.
I think if they are eating and seem ok I would keep them together. I did take a long while for mine to get along.
I would be wary of adding more litter trays etc as that's what split my bond the first time. I added a tunnel and all hell broke loose!!
Good luck, I hope they behave for you

kaths101 said:

The same happened with my quad, I have many posts on here. I bonded a pair and 2 singles and sooty was the bully even though Oreo was the dominant one (the original pair) Mittens was the one getting bullied and she did go into stasis the first time we bonded so I separated back into 2 pairs (they went fine!). I then had to move so tried the quad again. It worked this time and they have been together 3 years now. Sooty still chases mittens but it doesn't bother her she just goes somewhere else. I was worried about mittens again as Charlie sadly died and he was the one that kept the peace and snuggled mittens but the 3 have been fine. I even catch sooty and mittens snuggling sometimes.
I think if they are eating and seem ok I would keep them together. I did take a long while for mine to get along.
I would be wary of adding more litter trays etc as that's what split my bond the first time. I added a tunnel and all hell broke loose!!
Good luck, I hope they behave for you

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Thanks for that, that's really helpful :thumb: I will leave the extra litter tray for now then, I've been putting handfuls of hay into or close to the hiding places so I can make sure they're all still eating hay which they seem to be doing so I'm glad about that! I've moved a water bottle to next to where Summer and Skye are spending most of their time and I've just looked in on them after taking my dogs for a walk and Skye was by the water bottle so I think she's found it and had a drink Heidi and Dash were laying down in the middle bit and all seemed nice and calm